Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained
by Tallictr
Summary: It's a confusing time in Experiment 626(b)'s young life. Created by a mad scientist, labeled an abomination by the United Galactic Federation, and getting caught up in his brother's escape, he must adjust to every twist and turn life has to offer. All while trying to discover for himself whether or not he's truly the monster everyone sees him as, or if he's something else entirely.


_Hello, everyone._

_This is a story I wrote after having a particularly bad day a few weeks back. I personally find that old Disney movies like Lilo and Stitch brighten even the darkest of days. I may not be a kid anymore, but that doesn't mean I can't find comfort in the small joys of my childhood. I wonder how many of you feel the same? Hopefully a lot more than the small number I'm imagining. It'd be a shame otherwise._

_This is the third one I've posted of the small story list I've built up, mostly stories with just a single chapter expressing what might be the start of a full-blown series of chapters, and I'm rather proud of this one. Let me know what you guys think._

_As usual, enjoy the chapter and I'll see you guys later._

_Bye~_

**Galactic Federation Headquarters**

**Planet Turo**

The Grand Councilwoman took her place amongst her fellow council members, having no desire to waste any time in the prosecution of one Dr. Jumba Jookiba. His experimentation in genetics had resulted in the illegal creation of a new form, or rather forms, of life outside of the established parameters of nature as the Galactic Federation defined it.

Dr. Jookiba and 'Experiments 626(a) and 626(b)' were to be cross-examined and sentenced to whatever punishment the Council deemed necessary. But if the hearing went as she had predicted based on the reports of both defendants, then their fates were as good as sealed.

Her voice projected throughout the large chamber, silencing all others. "Read the charges!"

Beside her, Galactic Federation Captain Gantu stood tall. His voice betraying his obvious resentment of the creatures he and his men had discovered during the capture of Dr. Jookiba. Had he the authority to do so, he would have ordered their immediate destruction right then and there.

"Dr. Jumba Jookiba, lead scientist of Galaxy Defense Industries. You stand before this council accused of illegal genetic experimentation." No sooner had the words left his mouth did the wall behind Dr. Jookiba open, allowing for a holding vessel to enter the courtroom.

Unphased by this interruption, the Grand Councilwoman spoke. "How do you plead?"

Dr. Jookiba folded his arms and lifted his chin up high in indignation, seemingly offended at the accusation. "Not guilty! My experiments are only theoretical. Completely within legal boundaries." The Councilwoman, however, refuted his claim.

"We believe you actually created something. Two somethings." As she spoke the vessel came to a stop, beside of Dr. Jookiba's floating platform and above two others. The vessel's internal mechanisms clearly working to achieve something.

At this, Dr. Jookiba grew slightly nervous. "Created something? Hah! But that would be irresponsible and unethical." As he spoke, two pods were lowered onto two floating platforms beside his, giving him a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "I would never ever…"

The pods connected to their respective platforms and opened, momentarily revealing a slimmer pod inside, before both pods were retracted back into the vessel. "…make…more than two…"

Hundreds of gasps and exclamations of surprise rang out at the sight laid before them all. In one pod was a small, blue creature: 'Experiment 626(a)'. It wore an orange jumpsuit, had four arms and two legs that it used to move about wildly within the containment unit searching for any way to escape, and snarled at all those it saw.

In the other pod was an equally small, black creature: 'Experiment 626(b)'. Unlike his blue counterpart, 'Experiment 626(b)' stood quietly as he took in his surroundings. And despite his calm outwards appearance, he was just as eager to find ways to escape as his 'brother' was.

As far as he could tell, however, there was no way to escape. No gaps to squeeze through and nowhere to escape to even if he managed to brute force his way out. He would need to wait for the right moment. And perhaps he'd even get the opportunity to save his creator.

Maybe.

While he was smart enough to know how to present himself to a group of people that could potentially end the both of their short existences, 626(a) hadn't even bothered trying, It seems he just wasn't on the level at which he could mindlessly ignore the danger of the situation like 626(a) apparently could.

And right now, that sense of danger was telling him to just go off on his own. It would significantly increase his odds of survival should he manage to succeed in his attempt to escape. Whatever and whenever that may be.

Captain Gantu leaned forward, attempting to better identify the two creatures. He hadn't personally seen them before this moment, going solely off the reports of his officers' descriptions. "What are those monstrosities?" His words threw Dr. Jookiba for a loop. "Monstrosities!? What you see before you are the first of a new species. I call them 'Experiments 626 A and B.'" He pointed at them, respective to their titles.

"They are bulletproof, fireproof, and can think faster than any supercomputer! They can see in the dark and move objects over 3,000 times their size. Their only instinct is to destroy everything they touch!" He fell backwards on the platform, laughing maniacally at his declaration.

"So, they are monsters?" The Grand Councilwoman was not pleased by this revelation. Dr. Jookiba seemed indifferent. "Eh! Just some little ones."

Captain Gantu spoke up, disgusted by the acts of wanton violation of and against nature. "They are an affront to nature. They must be destroyed!" His large fist slamming down on the now dented metal. But the Grand Councilwoman would not have such aggressive behavior be the downfall of two creatures whose intentions and overall nature were only defined by their seemingly mad scientist of a creator.

"Calm yourself Captain Gantu. Perhaps they can be reasoned with." The Captain did not look too sure of the possibility coming true in any capacity. "Experiments 626(a) and 626(b)," Both looked up at her; one with a curious tilt of the head and the other with an intense, scrutinizing stare.

"Give us a sign that you understand any of this. Show us that there is something inside you that is good." 626(a) and 626(b) merely stared at the Grand Councilwoman before looking to each other. 626(a) chose to speak before 626(b) had even opened his mouth.

Clearing his throat as he placed his hands onto the glass, 626(a) promptly responded to the Grand Councilwoman's request. "Meega Naga Questa~!"

The reaction was instantaneous. People fell out of their seats, horrified. Two of the council members fainted while a third threw up a various assortment of nuts and bolts. Even the Grand Councilwoman was taken aback by its words. "So naughty!"

626(a) was content to laugh hysterically at their reactions while Dr. Jookiba quickly tried to interject. "I didn't teach him that!" But Captain Gantu would have none of his lies. "Place that idiot scientist under arrest!" A clear tubing made to contain someone of Dr. Jookiba's size materialized around him.

As his platform descended to the depths below, he couldn't resist calling out. "I prefer to be called evil genius!" The words quickly growing harder to hear as he disappeared into the dark.

"And as for that abomination," The Grand Councilwoman pointed at 626(a), who was currently licking his container and proudly rubbing his face in it. "It is the flawed product of a deranged mind. It has no place among us. Captain Gantu," the giant stood at attention. "Take him away."

As she turned away to see if the other council members were alright, the sound of glass crunching drew her attention to 626(b). It had remained quiet up until this point, causing him to momentarily slip from the Grand Councilwoman's mind in light of 626(a)'s response. But all it took to recapture that lost attention was to show that while he was capable of breaking out with pure brute strength, he was staying right where they wanted him.

With this came the realization that 626(b) was the second chance for its species. A chance that the Grand Councilwoman had silently hoped for even as she ordered 626(a)'s detainment. She hadn't wanted to cast away 626(a), especially since it was both young and one of the only two of its kind, but the Galactic Federation's Mandate of Peace was clear.

There was no room for a warmongering species to exist amongst the ranks of those who strived for galactic peace in every sense of the term. That was a lesson they'd learned the hard way.

"Do you wish to say something? To show us that perhaps you have good inside?" Off to the side, Captain Gantu scoffed at the idea of something decent coming out of the abomination. The council members who had just regained consciousness and the watching crowd waited quietly for what came next.

626(b) removed his hand from the cracked side of the capsule and spoke slowly, its voice menacing and rough. "Mercy…" And while it wasn't nearly as pleasant to listen to as she would have hoped, the Councilwoman was pleased nonetheless. Perhaps the experiments weren't a total lost cause.

What came next, however, was something no one saw coming.

"Have…mercy…" The joyous moment where the 'abominations', or at least one of them, were more than just the wantonly destructive force Dr. Jookiba had described them as was now gone. In its place stood the moment that the Grand Councilwoman came face to face with the pleadings of a creature whose first and only impression of other intelligent lifeforms was one of extreme prejudice. That they were going to punish those of his kind for merely...existing as they were created to.

For being true to their nature.

He was asking them, a longstanding and organized group of civilized species whose aim it was to promote peace and understanding throughout the known galaxy, to show mercy rather than cruelty. Even Captain Gantu was taken aback by the sentiment. "And you…understand what mercy is?" The mad scientist had told them how smart it was made to be, but that did little to show what it actually knew about…well, anything.

A slow nod of the head. The Grand Councilwoman stepped back in. "You wish for us to show you mercy?" Another nod of the head. "Given that you have the capacity to understand mercy, we may be convinced that you do hold the capacity for good. But your fellow…experiment…does not. What he said, roughly translated to the Galactic Standard, means 'I will destroy!'"

"Given that there is no tolerance for such behavior, genetically engineered behavior no less, within the Galactic Federation we have no choice but to expel 626(a) from our society and place it in a maximum-security prison until it can be properly exiled to a much more…suitable environment. You, however, are welcome to stay as a member of the Federation, provided you meet certain expectations."

She couldn't save them both, but at least saving one of them was better than saving none. "No…mercy…?" 626(b)'s eyes wandered from person to person; akin to childlike innocence. The Grand Councilwoman shook her head with genuine regret. "Not for one whose first words are a declaration of malicious intent. Unlike yourself."

His eyes came to rest on 626(a)'s still restless form. His voice was gravelly, "If want good…why no mercy?" but the utter confusion in its voice as to the 'why' of the situation's outcome was unmistakable. A brief moment of silence followed. That was just about all the Grand Councilwoman could take. It wouldn't do for someone of her position to show anything less than complete emotional invulnerability. She would physically lament the conclusion of the trial later, when no one could see her give in to her guilt.

"Captain Gantu. Take 626(a) away and place 626(b) in a level six holding chamber. I shall see to its evaluation personally." It was the very least she could do for separating the two.

"With pleasure." Captain Gantu responded with palpable anticipation in his voice. At least one of the two abominations would be put away where it belonged.

626(b) merely stared at its brother as he began to react violently at the thought of being locked away forever, doing nothing more than watching as it was taken away in the same manner as their creator was. With this unfortunate turn of events unfolding despite his efforts, he felt as though he was all alone in the Universe.


End file.
